Stray Birds by Stray Dogs PDX

May 15, 2015 by 18 Comments

Every Monday in May, Stray Dogs PDX (link to their Facebook account because sorry, their website is terribly uninformative and outdated), usually known for their popping up at various restaurants with their fancy take on hot dogs, has been hosting a Stray Birds concept at Beast. Nomadic chefs Peter Cho and Johnny Leach (aka the “Strays” as they have no brick and mortar home yet) for Stray Birds change the focus from Dogs (hot dogs) instead to Birds – which in this case, means Korean Fried Chicken (aka the real KFC).
Stray Birds, a pop up at Beast by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 on Mondays led by Stray chefs Peter Cho and Johnny Leach. The 3 courses + beer for $35 was inclusive, but there were alternate drinks also available for purchase additionally, like a bottle or shot of Chamisul Sojo or a bottle of Makgeolli, or cans of Asahi or Oriental Brewery Beer.

Oh, sold! I’m sold! I loooove Korean Fried Chicken because it’s always crispy on the outside with a glaze that is both spicy and sweet, and succulent and juicy on the inside. It’s not something you can easily find in Portland.

So after an email to straydogsPDX at gmail.com, we secured our reservations for an opening during their service from 5:30-9:30pm. For $35, three courses and a beer equaled on my visit

Beer: Rainier Beer Lager in a can
There were alternate drinks also available for purchase additionally, like a bottle or shot of Chamisul Sojo or a bottle of Makgeolli, or cans of Asahi or Oriental Brewery Beer.
Rainier Beer at Stray Birds, a pop up at Beast by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015. The $35 included dinner and this beer Rainier Beer at Stray Birds, a pop up at Beast by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015. The $35 included dinner and this beer

Course 1: Bibim Gooksu

Bibim Gooksu, a cold buckwheat soba noodles with kholrabi, cucumbers and nori with chicken clam and pineapple dashi
Bibim Gooksu, a cold buckwheat soba noodles with kholrabi, cucumbers and nori with chicken clam and pineapple dashi at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 Bibim Gooksu, a cold buckwheat soba noodles with kholrabi, cucumbers and nori with chicken clam and pineapple dashi at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015

Course 2: Korean Fried Stray Bird

The glorious main protein of korean fried stray bird, 1/2 chicken with gochujang and tamarind glaze. You will need the moist towelettes they also give you, and I appreciated that they gave a bone bin.
Course 2: The glorious korean fried stray bird, 1/2 chicken with gochujang and tamarind glaze at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 Course 2: The glorious korean fried stray bird, 1/2 chicken with gochujang and tamarind glaze at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015

Side dish of Black Sesame Seed Corn Bread with Warm Brown Rice Syrup and Charred Ramp Butter
Course 2: one of the side dishes to the Korean Fried Stray Bird of Black Sesame Seed Corn Bread with Warm Brown Rice Syrup and Charred Ramp Butter at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 Course 2: one of the side dishes to the Korean Fried Stray Bird of Black Sesame Seed Corn Bread with Warm Brown Rice Syrup and Charred Ramp Butter at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015

Side dish (Banchan basically) of a Pickle Plate with bread and butter daikon, garlic chive stuffed cucumber, and dill pickled bean sprouts and kimchee
Course 2: one of the side dishes to the Korean Fried Stray Bird of a Pickle Plate with bread and butter daikon, garlic chive stuffed cucumber, and dill pickled bean sprouts and kimchee at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015

This second course is served family style to each dining party, which is what you would usually expect dining Korean style.
Stray Birds, a pop up at Beast by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 on Mondays led by Stray chefs Peter Cho and Johnny Leach

Course 3: Milk + Cookie

Two desserts of the Milk + Cookie, the koji brown rice milk bingsoo with toasted barley powder (basically a shaved ice dish), plus the choco pie with coffee marshmallow and puffed rice
Course 3: one of the two desserts of the Milk + Cookie, the koji brown rice milk bingsoo with toasted barley powder plus the choco pie with coffee marshmallow and puffed rice at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 Course 3: one of the two desserts of the Milk + Cookie, the choco pie with coffee marshmallow and puffed rice at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 Course 3: one of the two desserts of the Milk + Cookie, the koji brown rice milk bingsoo with toasted barley powder at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 Course 3: one of the two desserts of the Milk + Cookie, the koji brown rice milk bingsoo with toasted barley powder plus the choco pie with coffee marshmallow and puffed rice at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 Course 3: one of the two desserts of the Milk + Cookie, the koji brown rice milk bingsoo with toasted barley powder plus the choco pie with coffee marshmallow and puffed rice at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 Course 3: one of the two desserts of the Milk + Cookie, the koji brown rice milk bingsoo with toasted barley powder plus the choco pie with coffee marshmallow and puffed rice at Stray Birds, a pop up by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015

A few shots of the staff at work. Since we had the 5:30 seating, and were literally the first guests to walk into the restaurant, I got to marvel and the beautiful tray of chicken awaiting the fryer and to have the glaze brushed on.
Stray Birds, a pop up at Beast by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 on Mondays led by Stray chefs Peter Cho and Johnny Leach Stray Birds, a pop up at Beast by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 on Mondays led by Stray chefs Peter Cho and Johnny Leach Stray Birds, a pop up at Beast by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 on Mondays led by Stray chefs Peter Cho and Johnny Leach Stray Birds, a pop up at Beast by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 on Mondays led by Stray chefs Peter Cho and Johnny Leach

I really enjoyed the chicken, and hope to visit a Stray Dog event sometime in the future. Again, if you are interested in attending one of the Stray Birds by Stray Dogs PDX pop up, they are every Monday in May at Beast, and you make your reservations ahead of time for 5:30-9:30 at straydogsPDX at Gmail dot com.

Stray Dogs is also popping up Fridays at Kitchen Cru serving their haute hot dogs for lunch only from 11:30 – 3 every Friday in May as Stray Dogs Luncheonette.  

Stray Birds, a pop up at Beast by Stray Dogs PDX in May 2015 on Mondays led by Stray chefs Peter Cho and Johnny Leach

Have you been to a Stray Dog event, or had Korean Fried Chicken?

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